Named as "one of public transportation's most influential people of the decade," Joe Calabrese brings 40 years of experience in both the public and private sectors to the transportation industry.

In 2000, Joe transitioned from President of the Central New York RTA to the CEO and general manager of Greater Cleveland RTA.

Under Calabrese's leadership, RTA is strategically focused on outstanding customer service, safety, maintaining a positive image and having strong financial management, and as a result, RTA has become one of the most respected transit agencies in the nation. In recent years, RTA was named Best Large Size Transit System in North America and Calabrese was recently named the Outstanding Transit Manager of the Year.

In 2015, Calabrese was named Governing Magazine's "Public Official of the Year" being the first transit leader in the country to have received that distinction.

Through appointments by two US Secretaries of Transportation, Calabrese serves on the U.S. Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Advisory Committee, is past president of both the New York State and Ohio Public Transit Associations, and serves on the board of directors of the American Public Transportation Association.

Calabrese holds a degree in economics from Syracuse University, an MBA from the University of Buffalo and completed postgraduate fellowships at Northeastern University, The University of Chicago and at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.